BUSINESS FOCUS
Briefs
1 i? J
Golden LEAF awards grant
to heal state's ailing economy
c In an effort to strengthen the state's economy. The
Golden LEAF Foundation has awarded more than
$10 million in grant funding to organizations across
the state.
During its Nov. 6 meeting in Asheville, board
members awarded 40 grants to support a diverse set
of projects, including programs to support agricul
ture, job creation and retention, and workforce pre
paredness. Grants were also awarded to support
scholarships, technology for high school classrooms
and community development.
Board members said the investments allow the
foundation to continue serving as a strong partner in
shaping the state's economic future In just nine years,
the organization has assisted communities in their
efforts to transition from tobacco-dependent to more
competitive economies by awarding more than $366
million in grants to support local and statewide proj
ects.
The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit
organization established in 1999 to help transform
North Carolina's economy. The foundation receives
one-half of North Carolina's funds from the 1998
Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manu
facturers and places special emphasis on assisting
economically-distressed or tobacco-dependent com
munities across the state.
"Golden LEAF is pleased to fund projects that
help develop the talent, knowledge and skill of North
Carolinians and bring jobs and opportunities to the
communities in need," said Dan Gerlach, Golden
LEAF'S president. "Golden LEAF stands ready to
take advantage of every opportunity to make smart,
targeted investments, both now and in the future."
Official to speak about economy
Lee Cornelison, North Carolina District Director
of the U. S. Small Business Administration, will
deliver a lecture at North Carolina A&T State
University at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov 20, in the
Merrick Hall Auditorium.
? The topic is "Impact of the
Cornelison
Financial Crisis on Small
Businesses: What You Need to
Know to Survive." The event
is free and open to the public.
Cornelison joined the U.
S. Small Business
Administration in 1999 as the
North Carolina District
Director following his retire
ment from Peabody. During
his 20 years at Peabody he
held various positions from
manager of contract adminis
tration to senior vice president - sales and marketing.
Prior to that, Cornelison worked for the Shell Oil
Company in Detroit and for the Department of
Defense in St. Louis. He is a Vietnam veteran and
holds the rank of Colonel (retired) U. S. Army
Reserve.
The lecture is sponsored by the Interdisciplinary
Center for Entrepreneurship and E-Business
(ICEEB), N.C. A&T School of Business and
Economics, and the North Carolina District of the U.
S. Small Business Administration.
McTeacher's Night raises
money for local schools
McDonald's restaurant owners/operators across
the Triad recently donated more than $10,000 to local
schools.
The donations came as a result of teachers and
parents helping and "working" in their local
McDonald's restaurant on Oct. 21 as part of the
McTeacher's Night fundraiser where a portion of the
proceeds from McDonald's restaurants from 5-8
p.m. were given back to the schools.
On McTeacher's Night, volunteer workers suited
up in McDonald's aprons and hats and worked in the
restaurants - taking customer orders, serving fries
and drinks, helping out in the drive-thru, and even
preparing hamburgers in many restaurants.
Green, FTCC gratified
that voters supported bond
Dr. Gary Green, president of Forsyth Technical
Community College, is expressing his gratitude to
the community following last week's passage of the
Educational Facilities Bond
Referendum. The bonds
passed by a 62 percent to 38
percent margin, receiving
90,930 "yes" votes.
"I want to thank the voters
of Forsyth County, County
Commission members, and
supporters and friends of
Forsyth Tech," Green said.
"The incredible success of the
bond referendum indicates the
value the people of Forsyth
Dr. Green
County place upon their community college. It exem
plifies an appreciation of the opportunity that Forsyth
Tech provides the people of the county for education
and training, opportunity to improve their lives, the
lives of their children, neighbors and friends."
Passage of the referendum will allow Forsyth
Tech to acquire the Career Center and Winston
Salem/Forsyth County Schools' administrative
offices on Miller Street and renovate them to create
new lab and classroom space.
UL to become major downtown jobs hub
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
The Urban League of
Winston-Salem will ensure that
job-searchers have a place
downtown to turn to for help.
The Urban League's Trade
Street headquarters opened a
"Shared Access Point" yester
day in conjunction with the
N.C. Division of Workforce
Development. The Shared
Access Point helps unem
ployed and underemployed
individuals obtain job-search
services under the North
Carolina SHARE Network.
The Urban League site will
offer Internet access, electronic
job search capabilities and
rtsume preparation assistance.
The Urban League site is
especially critical now, accord
ing to Urban League officials,
since the Employment Security
Commission has relocated
from downtown to a new loca
tion on University Parkway.
The Shared Access Point is a
more central location for many,
especially those who use public
transportation.
"The Urban League is com
mitted to providing quality
employment services to the
community," said Urban
League President and CEO
Keith Grandberry. "At a time
when we are facing an employ
ment crisis, the Urban League
is pleased to partner with the
Employment Security
Commission to make these
services more accessible to the
community."
Local Urban League
employment counselors
received special training to
man the jobs hub. Job seekers
who come to the Urban League
will go through, an intake and
assessment process conducted
by an employment counselor.
The Urban League Access
Point will then provide com
prehensive employment servic
es.
For more information, call
the Winston-Salem Urban
League at 336-725-5614.
Hams Teeter Photo
Some of the volunteers that helped to feed 5,000 people in Raleigh.
Grocery chain's food drive is now underway
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Nearly 5,000 people were fed last week in Raleigh during a
kick off event for the annual Harvest Feast Food Drive, a collabo
ration between Harris Teeter, the Triangle United Way and the
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.
Harris Teeter stores set up bins at its entrances late last month
to allow shoppers to donate non-perishable food items. The gro
cery chain is also giving its customers the option of giving to the
effort by purchasing $5 and $20 food donation cards.
At the conclusion of the Harvest Feast Food Drive, Harris
Teeter will distribute gift cards to its food bank partners based on
the amount that was raised in their particular service area. The
food partner agencies will use the gift cards to purchase the items
they need to serve their clients.
"Harris Teeter is committed to ending hunger in the communi
ties it serves," said President Fred Morganthall. "Our shoppers
have proven their generosity in the past. By giving them an oppor
tunity to donate I know we will be able to make a difference this
holiday season."
All 176 Harris Teeter stores throughout the Southeast and Mid
Atlantic will participate in the food drive. The items donated will
stay in individual communities. Dozens of food banks and agen
cies in several states will benefit from the effort.
Event Planners'
Expo is planned
j CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
The N.C. A&T State University Foundation Inc.
has announced plans to host its first-ever Caterer's &
Event Planner's Expo.
The event is slated to take place on Sunday, Dec.
14, from 2-5 p.m. at the Alumni-Foundation Event
Center, 200 N. Benbow Rd. The 30,000-square-foot
center is a pre
mier facility
for events and
functions. It
boasts ameni
ties such as a
Grand
Ballroom and
library.
A large
number of pro
fessional cater
ing and event
planning busi
nesses from the
Triad and
beyond are
expected to
take part. Each
business will
have an oppor
tunity to show
case its foods
and services to
the guests on
hand.
Event Coordinator Julie Melikpor says this event
is an effort to bring the best and the brightest in the
business to the customers. "We really wanted to offer
our customers and potential clients an opportunity to
see and taste what local vendors have to offer," she
says.
The event will also serve a dual purpose.
Admission is $10, however, attendees can bring an
unwrapped toy and receive a 50 percent discount off
the ticket price. Toys will be donated to families in
need that live in the Triad. Other door prizes will be
made available. '
To register go to www.aggieeventcenter.com or
send your request to info@aggieeventcenter.com, or
call Julie Melikpor at 336-433-5566 or Audretta at
336-862-6491 .
A New Day
PRNewsFoWl'SW
Pennsylvania members of the United Steelworkers (USW) celebrate the
win of President-Elect Barack Obama. The USW, which represents
850,000 workers in the U.S. and Canada employed in industries such as
metals, rubber, chemicals and paper, endorsed the Democratic senator
and worked to get him elected.
Truliant to use grant to continue program
TruOpportunity Builder nurtures
small businesses
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Truliant Federal Credit Union will
use a $22,840 from the National
Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) to
continue a pro
gram that offers
advice and
guidance to
potential entre
preneurs.
The NCUF
also funded the
pilot program
for Truliant's
TruOpportunity
Builder
Program earlier
this year. The
Rorie
program has offered financial literacy
classes to new and existing credit
union members. Marjorie Rorie,
director of community services for
Truliant. calls the program a "holistic
approach to building financial
strength through saving, credit build
ing. account management and finan
rial education."
The pilot has seen great success,
she added.
"We have seen success with this
pilot, with credit scores rising signif
icantly."
With the new "Innovation Grant,"
Truliant aims to establish and mentor
more small businesses through entre
preneurial education, credit counsel
ing and strategic planning. The credit
union will use the grant to nurture
small business owners in five under
served areas of North
Carolina and Virginia.
"Rural entrepreneurs in particular
need greater access to equity capital."
said Rorie. "Our program aligns with
the mission of NCUF to "improve
consumer financial independence
through credit unions,' by increasing
access to loans for low-wealth and
rural-based entrepreneurs in under
served communities. We want to
broaden financial options for start
ups and growing businesses. We will
make a concerted effort to provide
financial literacy among adults and
youths to prepare them better for
entrepreneurship."